Oakbank School, Keighley

Oakbank School

Motto	'Good to Outstanding progress for all"
Established	1871
Type	Comprehensive foundation school
Headteacher	Dave Maxwell
Specialism	Sports & Technology
Location	Oakworth Road Keighley West Yorkshire BD22 7DU England
Local authority	City of Bradford
DfE URN	107441
Ofsted	Reports
Staff	200
Students	1817
Gender	Coeducational
Ages	11–19
Houses	Ashe, Glennie, Shackleton and Keller
Colours	Red, Green, Blue and Yellow
Website	Oakbank School

Coordinates: 53°51′16″N 1°55′37″W / 53.854506°N 1.926825°W / 53.854506; -1.926825

Oakbank School is a comprehensive school with dual specialist status, located in Keighley, West Yorkshire, England.

Admissions

It officially became a Sports College in 1997, and gained Technology College accreditation in 2004. It is situated near Ingrow Lane on Oakworth Road (B6143) in the west of Keighley.

History

Grammar school

Oakbank was originally founded from the Drake and Tonson School as Keighley Trade and Grammar School in 1871. Around 1900 it became Keighley Boy's Grammar School (KGBS) on Alice Street. New buildings were built in 1964 and it became Oakbank Grammar School when administered under Keighley Committee for Education.

Comprehensive

It became a comprehensive school in the 1970s for ages 14-18, and still under the name Oakbank Grammar School. In October 1971, a prefect was kicked unconscious by a group of younger boys. It changed its name to Oakbank School in 1990. During the same period of time the school moved to the current grounds from Bronte Upper School with students aged between 13 and 19, but transformed into a 11–19 secondary school in a re-organisation of the structure of British schools in 2000.

Throughout the years the school has slowly received status and is currently a double specialist school in both sports and technology the first awarded in 2001 and the second in 2004.

The school has also had a visit from the former Minister for Sport Gerry Sutcliffe.

Curriculum

The school has been graded as satisfactory or better in all areas of the curriculum in its last two Ofsted inspections. Around 52% of students achieved five A* to C grade passes at GCSE in 2008.

Sixth form and Cove

Oakbank students have the choice of staying on to Sixth Form and continue further study to gain more qualifications and degrees in a variety of subjects. In 2003 the new six form block opened, giving a higher number of students a chance to enroll. In 2004 the Cove (Centre of Vocational Excellence) building was opened for the first time to allow more space and freedom of learning.

Alumni

• John Cryer, Labour MP from 1997-2005 for Hornchurch
• Paul Hudson - BBC weather forecaster
• Tommy Lee (footballer) - footballer currently playing for Chesterfield

Keighley Boys' Grammar School

• Gordon Bottomley, poet
• Asa Briggs, Baron Briggs, Chancellor of the Open University from 1978-94, Vice-Chancellor from 1967-76 of the University of Sussex. and Professor of History from 1961-76
• Sir Herbert Butterfield, Vice Chancellor of the University of Cambridge from 1959-61 and Master of Peterhouse, Cambridge from 1955-68, Professor of Modern History from 1944-63 at the University of Cambridge and President from 1955-8 of the Historical Association
• Prof James Cameron, Professor of Philosophy from 1960-71 at the University of Kent
• Sir Wilfred Cockcroft, mathematician, Vice-Chancellor from 1976-82 of the New University of Ulster, Chief Executive from 1983-8 of the Secondary Exams Council, and President since 1992 of the British Accreditation Council
• John Hatch, Baron Hatch of Lusby
• Dr Kevin Hawkins OBE, Director-General from 2004-8 of the British Retail Consortium
• Sir Trevor Holdsworth CVO, Chairman of GKN from 1980-8 and of National Power from 1990-5, and Chancellor from 1992-7 of the University of Bradford
• David Jeanes, rugby player
• John Moffatt, Provost from 1987-93 of The Queen's College, Oxford
• Percival Moore, illustrator
• Don Mosey, sports journalist and cricket commentator for Test Match Special
• Harry Riley, Professor of Inorganic and Physical Chemistry from 1932-47 of King's College, Durham (Newcastle University)
• Sir Bracewell Smith, Conservative MP from 1932-45 for Dulwich
• Leonard James Spencer CBE, geologist and President from 1936-9 of the Mineralogical Society
• Prof Geoffrey Tillotson, Professor of English Literature from 1944-68 at Birkbeck, University of London
• George Watson, Professor of Medicine from 133-8 at the University of Leeds
• Lieutenant Dave Wright

Former teachers

• Robert Westall, children's author (taught art at boys' grammar 1958-60)

External links

• School website
• Former grammar school
• EduBase